Cyndi Lauper

Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper (22 June 1953-) was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Born in Astoria, Queens (and raised in nearby Ozone Park) in New York City, she left home at age 17 to escape her abusive stepfather and travelled to Canada and Vermont with her dog, becoming a vocalist with various cover bands during the 1970s. In 1978, she formed the band Blue Angel with saxophone player John Turi, but, when the band broke up, she worked as a waitress and in other odd jobs until, while singing in a New York bar in 1981, she acquired a new manager and was signed to Portrait Records. In 1983, she released her first solo album, She's So Unusual, which became a worldwide hit, and she won Best New Artist at the 1985 Grammy Awards. Her success continued with 1986's True Colors and nine more studio albums after 1989, composing the Broadway musical Kinky Boots in 2013 and winning a Tony Award for best original score. Lauper was also known for her activism, campaigning for gay rights due to her passion for equality and the fact that her own sister was a lesbian. In 2008, she contributed an article to The Huffington Post which urged Americans to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, and she also became a supporter of the feminist and "Me Too" movements of the 2010s.